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Anglers waiting for the start of the new salmon season.

Booking beats has been done, in some cases for months, but season permits for the Northumbrian Anglers Federation are now available. These permits allow members to fish stretches of the Coquet,, Tyne and Till. They are available on-line, from the Head Bailiff or the Secretary.

Salmon season permits are £180, or £110 for concessionary permits. Brown Trout season permits are £70 with concessionary ones costing £50. Season permits are only available to residents in Northumberland, Durham and Tyne and Wear. There are a range of permits for visitors with these details on the Federation website.

I’ve always encouraged anything that gets youngsters into fishing. It’s good to see that the Federation allow young anglers, under 16, to fish their waters free providing they are accompanied by a responsible adult who holds the appropriate season permit.

I am encouraged to see a few of the Federation rules have been tweaked. They are more’ black and white’, so they are less open to interpretation. The Federation competitions were not held last season because of Coronavirus restrictions. There will be the return of the Coquet Trophy which is presented to the angler who catches the first spring salmon on the Coquet.

Then there is the Centenary Cups which are awarded to anglers who catch the heaviest salmon and Brown Trout on any Federation water. Finally there is the Jim Hardy Trophy, which will be given to the angler who catches the heaviest Sea Trout.

I notice that the heaviest salmon which won the Centenary Cup, was over 32lbs while the heaviest Brown Trout was 6lbs 2oz. That salmon was caught in 2001 and the Brown Trout was caught in 2008. Since 1957 the first spring salmon has been caught on the first day 19 times. Saying that, it took until the first week in May in 2009 to land the first springer. The Jim Hardy Trophy has been presented since 2015. The heaviest Sea Trout caught so far was over 14 lbs, it was caught in 2017.

This coming week the weather is due to change with more wind and lower temperatures. Fingers crossed they may have it wrong again!